Drove to Monticello this afternoon to look for the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. The bird was not present along the East Luther Sdrd. 21/22 when I checked between 2:15-2:30 so I parked my vehicle and walked the laneway that leads west into the Luther Marsh. The wind was very high and I soon met two ladies from Hamilton who had just spent an hour looking for the flycatcher without success, so my hopes weren't high. My golden retriever and I checked the area where Bill Crins observed the bird yesterday (between the "Monticello Project" plaque and the viewing blind) but we couldn't find it anywhere. We took some consolation in watching families of Pied-billed Grebes, Trumpeter Swans, and a passing quintet of Sandhill Cranes, but resigned ourselves to dipping on the southwestern rarity (my dog needs it for his life list). Fortunately, as I was folding up my scope, a helpful couple from Kitchener strolled up and informed me that they'd just had the flycatcher along the trail that runs west, south and west again to a berm between two cells. I thanked them and made the hike out into the heart of the blustery marsh. Although I observed lots of kingbirds, swallows, and goldfinches en route, I didn't catch a glimpse of the Scissor-tail. Heading back to my van, I followed the path through a thin strip of trees and bushes that runs north-south (not far west of the afore-mentioned plaque). Some of the trees were heavy with apples and I remembered the couple saying they'd also seen the flycatcher near some apple trees, so I stopped a few steps east of this "hedgerow". Glancing north toward the hamlet of Monticello I was pleasantly surprised to observe the Scissor-tail about 10m away from me on a small bush near the only apple tree that sits on that side of the trail. It was my first look at this species since a university trip to Texas with friends in 1984). I got some good looks at the bird before it flushed and flew past me (southward) with those long, fabulous tail feathers. It soon cut back against the west wind and returned to the line of trees and bushes that extends southward, staying on the lee side of that thin barrier. I watched the bird from 3:00-3:05 before it dropped down into the tall grass below it, presumably to catch something there. By 3:30, when I was having a pleasant chat with John F. from Ajax, it still had not re-appeared. Ron Fleming, Newmarket > From Orangeville, take Dufferin County Rd. 109 west to County Rd. 25, turn > right/north through Grand Valley and continue north to County Rd. 15, turn > left and go through the hamlet of Colbeck to the next hamlet (Monticello; > about 5 km west of County Rd. 25). The wooden blind and laneway are about 300 > m south of the intersection of County Rd. 15 and East Luther Sideroad 21/22, > on the west side of this road. The blind is clearly visible from the road, > and the laneway is just south of this. Follow the main path WSW past the > gate until you get to the plaque (it is mounted on a sort of cairn), then > walk west past the No Hunting signs to the north-south line of trees and > bushes. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
